CHAPTER XVII 



THE NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: 



SUMATRA Continued 



Spacing of rubber-trees Plantation management Establish- 

 ment of rubber factories The labour-supply Hours of work 

 and rate of wages Maintenance of labourers Chinese coolies 

 No necessity for skilled labour Sanitary conditions and medical 

 supervision Organization of plantations Catch crops Tapping 

 Plantation buildings Maintenance of discipline Approximate 

 yield of trees Average cost of production Analysis of costs 

 Costs after shipment Average cost per pound of rubber sold 

 Exports of rubber since 1906, and estimate of future production. 



THE proximity of Sumatra to the principal centres 

 of the rubber industry of the Malay Peninsula has 

 been an important factor in the development of the 

 plantations of the east coast. The example of the 

 methods employed in the Federated Malay States has 

 saved many errors in Sumatra, and would have effected 

 even greater benefit in this direction if less antipathy 

 existed on the part of the Dutch planters towards 

 British nationality ; it is difficult to explain this attitude, 

 for it is not in evidence on the part of the British 

 planters, who have shown no hesitation in furnishing 

 any information requested in connection with general 

 plantation work. A substantial benefit derived by the 

 geographical position of Sumatra was the facility for 

 obtaining rubber seed and plants from the Malay 

 estates, thus overcoming what would have been a 

 most serious and costly difficulty at the outset of the 



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